Refrigerating apparatus



- 1 4 Oct. 25,1921. A STRONG v ,6 6,112

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed April 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1;

,INVENTPR M aw ATTORNEYS A. H. STRONG REFRIGERATING APPARATUS FiledApril 9. 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 2 0% 2591927., wwmz 53 ii I I iNVENTOR 34,WJWJW ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 25, 1927. I

UNITED STATES v 1,646,712 PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE HUGH STRONG, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MASTER DOMESTICBEFBIGERATING COMPANY, INC., 01E QUEENS COUNTY, NEW YORK A. CORPORA TIONOF NEW' YORK.

, REFRIGEBATTNG APPARATUS.

Application filed April 9, 1926. Serial No. 100,812.

This invention relates generally to refrigcrating apparatus, andparticularly to refrigerating apparatus of the automatically controlledabsorption type.

Refrigerating apparatus of the type mentioned are generallycharacterized by the provision of a generator within which arefrigerating medium, commonly an aqueous solution of ammonia, is heatedto transform the ammonia into a gas, which is passed into and Condensedwithin a suitable condenser from which the condensed refrigerant,namely, ammonia, is directed into a suitable evaporator .to be thereintransformed, upon vide a generally the completion of the heating period,back into a gas which is returned to the generator and absorbed by theliquid remaining therein at the completion of the heating period.

One of the chief dilficulties heretofore encountered in connectionwithrefrigerating apparatus of this type, resides in the fact thatcomplicated control devices have been employed to govern the operationof the ap paratus with the result that such devices were likely to getout of order and could not, therefore, be relied upon to effectproperand uninterrupted functioning of the apparatus. a

An object of this invention is to overcome the above mentionedobjections and thus proimproved apparatus of the absorption type whichis simple in construction, reliable in operation and at the same timeinexpensive to manufacture as well as economical to maintain.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a' view showing theseveral cooperative elements of the apparatus in their [respectivepositions at the beginning of the heating period. v Figure 2 1s a viewshowing the relative positions of the several switch elementsimmediately after the completion of the heating period. 1 0

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the relative positions ofthe-several elements at or about the time the lowest temperature in theevaporator has been attained.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure3.

in turn connected by means of a pi e through which the condensed liquidwil flow by gravity to an evaporator 16. i

The coil leis arranged within a receptacle or condensing reservoir 18provided with a suitable overflow or outlet pipe 19, which in turn isconnected to the outlet end of a cooling tube 20 arranged within andextending through the generator 10. A water supply pipe 23 is arrangedto supply water to the condensing reservoir 18 or to the cooling tube20, through pipes 24 and 25, respectively, which are connected to asuitable valve mechanism'27 adapted to be actuated, as will hereinafterappear, so as to direct the water supply either to the condensing Ieservoir 18 or to the cooling tube 20.

. Within the generator 10, is arranged a suitable electrical heatingelement in the form of a resistance unit 28, from which conductors 29lead to a pair of contacts 30 which form part of a circuit closer orswitch mechanism 33. This switch mechanism comprises aframe 34 withinwhich is journaled a shaft 35 carrying rigidly thereon-a toothed segment36 and a lever 38, the latter of which is connected, by means of a link39, to a. lever-V40 suitably pivoted at one end to a. valve rod 43secured to a tubular, s'lidable valve 44, provided with ports 45 and 46,and arranged to reciprocate within the valve casing or housing 47. Uponthe shaft 35 is journaled an arm to which is pivotally connected a pawl51, provided at its free end with a pin 52 and connected, by means of atension spring 53, to the shaft 35. The

arm 50 is connected by means of a link 54 to tion to its lowermostposition, the latter position being shown in Figure 3. The arm is movedin an opposite direction, from its position shown in Figure 3 to itsuppermost position. through the instrumenta-lity of a sylphon bellows 60which, by means of a tube 63, is connected to a suitable thermostat 64associated with the evaporator 16.

To the toothed segment 36 is suitably connected a ,strip of insulatingmaterial 65 which carries at its ends a pair of resilient contactfingers 66, provided at their respective free ends with contacts 67.adapted to engage the fixed contacts 30. which are carried by andsuitably insulated from the frame 34. The resilient contact fingers 66are suitably connected to a pair of conductors 68. so that when thecontacts 67 engage the contacts 30, a circuit from a suitable source ofelectrical energy, not shown, will be closed through the heating unit28.

Within the generator 10 there is arranged a suitable thermostat 69which, by means of a pipe 70, is connectedto a sy lphon bellows 73provided with a movable pm 74, adapted" to engage an adjustablescrew-pin -75 liarried by an :arm 7 6 which is pivotally connected atone end to the housing of the sylphon bellows 73, as shown at 77, and isconnected at its other end, by means of a link 78 to a release arm 79which is pivoted at 80 and is adapted to engage the pin 52, carried bythe pawl 51, to move the pawl out of engagement with the toothed segment36.

A by-pass pipe 89 is connected with the evaporator ator near the bottomthereof. This by-pass pipe is connected to the pipe 13 and at itsjunction therewith, a valve 90 is provided. By means of the valve 90communication between the pipe 13 and pipe 89 may be established andcommunication between the. pipe 13 and condensing coil 14 simultaneouslysevered. The function of .the bypass pipe is to provide communicationbetween the generator and the bottom of the evaporator 16 so that anyliquid, such as water, that may collect in the evaporator from time totime and fail to return, as a gas or vapor, to the generator during theevaporation period may be directed back into the generator when desired.In order to effect this return of liquid, the heating period is carriedout, as, in the normal course of operation, and upon the completion ofthe heating, period, the valve 90 is so ro tated as to severcommunication between the pipe 13 and condenser. coil 14 and establishcommunication between the pipe 13 and pipe 89. With communicationestablished between the pipes 13 and 8.9, such liquid as has collectedwithin the evaporator 16 is siphoned back into the generator 10 due to afall in pressure therein which is caused by the cooling action of thewater supply from the pipe 23 upon the generator contents, the siphoningaction being augmented by any pressure that may be set up within theevaporator due to the collection of gas there in above the liquid level.This scavaging operation may be carried out from time to time, forexample every thirty to sixty days depending upon operating conditions,and is continued only so long as is necessary to remove the undesirableliquid contents from the evaporator after which the valve 90 is sorotated as to sever communication between the pipes 13 and 89 andestablish communi cation between the pipe 13 and condenser coil 14whereupon the evaporating period is completed in the normal operation ofthe apparatus.

Assuming that the generator'lt) carries an aqueous sofution of ammoniaand that the several cooperative elements of the circuit closer 33 havejust been moved to thepositions shown in Figure 1, the operation of theapparatus is as follows: Water flows from the supply pipe 23 into andthrough the condensing reservoir 18, inasmuch as the slidable valve 44is so positioned as to establish communication between the pipes. 23 and24 and through the port 45. The aqueous solution of ammonia within thegenerator 10 is being heated for the reason that the 7 electricalcircuit through the resistance unit 28 is closed. As a result of suchheating, the

ammonia is transformed into gas and this gas passes from the generator10 through the pipe 11 into the trap 12 which, as above explained, sofunctions as to collect and trap any water that may condense thereinfrom vapor arising out of the generator 10. As the gaseous ammoniapasses into the trap 12 it is directed therefrom into the condensingcoil 14 through the pipe 13.

The condensing coil 14, being maintained. at a relatively lowtemperature due to the constant flow of Water through the reservoir 18functions to condense the gas into a liquid which flows into theevaporator 16 through the pipe 15. The heating period is maintained fora certain length of time, say two hours, depending upon varyingconditions. During the heating period the sylphon bellows 73, inresponse to the action of the thermostat 69 caused by a gradual rise intemperature within the generator 10 as the ammonia is evaporated ordriven offfrom the water, forces the pin 74 outward against'the pin 75,and moves the arm. 76 against the influence of the tension spring so asto move the arm 7 9 about its pivot 80. In the movement of the arm 79,the pin 52 of the pawl 51 is lifted by the arm'79 until the pawl 51 isreleased from its looking engagement with the toothed segment 36,whereupon the contact arms 66, due to their having been more or lessflexed during the heating period, act to quickly open the cirures 2 and3. Inasmuch as the valve 44 is.

operatively connected to the lever 38 it follows that as the toothedsegment 36 and lever 38 are moved, as above described, the valve 44 issimultaneously moved from its uppermost position to its lowermost position whereupon the supply of water from the supply pipe 23 is cut offfrom the 'con-' densing reservoir 18 and is diverted through the valve44, port 46, and pipe 25 into the cooling tube 20 of the generator fromwhich it flows into the waste pipe .19.]

Immediately upon opening the circuit through the heating element 28, theliquid, mostly water, remaining within the generator 10, begins to cool,and as the temperature within the generator drops, the thermostat 69 isso acted upon as to permit the tension spring 85 tomovethe arm 76gradually in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 77, with theresult that the arm 79 is simultaneously moved in a correspondingdirection'well out of engagement with thepin 52 carried by the pawl 51.As the temperature within the generator 10 drops and the pressuretherein correspondingly falls, the liquid refrigerant within theevaporator 16 is transformed into a gaseous state and the gas now flowsthrough the pipe '15, cooling coil '14, pipe 13, trap 12, and "pipe" 11,back into the generator 10,'wherein it is' absorbed by therein. A y

As soon as evaporation starts, the temperature of the evaporator 16begins to fall, and in a relatively short period, say two hours theliquid remaining .45 I after evaporation begins, the minimum tem-.

perature, for example 5 F. is reached. As a result of this drop intemperature, the

thermostat 64 is so acted upon as to permit the projecting pin 86 of thesylphon bellows 60 to recede under the influence of the compressionspring 57, which now cooperates with'the lever-55 and the lever 58 so asto swing the. arm 50 in a clockwise direction about the shaft 35 fromits uppermost posi- I tion to its lowermost position, the latter afterwhich a slow rise in temperature of the evaporator 16 occurs andcontinues for a relatively long period of time, for example,

1 about 10 hours, at the expiration of which time the temperature of theevaporator will have risen from a minimum to, for example,

approximately 35 F. During this rise in temperature the thermostat 64 isso acted upon as to move the pin 86 of the sylphon bellows up. againstthe arm 58, thus overcoming the influence of the spring 57 and causingthe arms 58 and 59 to move from their respective positions, shown inFigure 3, to their positions shown in Figure 1, and as a result of thesemovements the toothed seg ment 36, by reasonof its engagement with thepawl 51 carried by the arm 50, is corre spondingly moved, whereby thecontacts 67 are moved into engagement with the'contacts 30, therebyclosing the circuit through the heating element 28 so that another cycleof operation is started. .As the segment 36 is moved from its positionshown in Figure 3 to circuit closing position, shown in Figure 1, theshaft 35 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, and as a result ofsuch rotation the arm 38 is so moved as to move the valve 44 from itsposition shown in Figure 2 to its position shown in Figure 1, wherebythe water supplied to the generator 10 is cut off and circulation isagain established through the condensing reservoir 18, as hereinbeforeexplained. During the heating period just described as having now begun.the temperature within the evaporator 16 continues to rise, reaching amaximum at or about the time the circuit is again opened through theresistance element 28.,

As a result of this further rise in temperature the segment 36 is movedfrom a position at which contact is made to such a posi* tion as willflex the spring contact members 66, with the result that they are putunder tension and will quickly open the circuit at the completion of.the heating period, with a snap action, as previously explained. Duringthe continued movement of the toothed segment 36 whereby the springcontact arms 66 are flexed, the valve 44 will continue to rise withinthe housing 74 but this further movement is accommodated for byenlargement of the valve port 45.

Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention what isclaimed is:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant.an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means forcooling the contents of said generator, control means including a pairof control members,

means for locking said members together,

periodically operated means for heating the contents of the generator,means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means for cooling thecontents of said generator, control means including apair of controlmembers, means for locking said members together, means responsive tovarying conditions within the evaporator to move said memberssimultaneously whereby the heat ing means is rendered operative, meansresponsive to varying conditions within the generator to unlock one ofsaid members from the other, and means for quickly moving one of saidmembers when unlocked to render the heating means inoperative.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means forcooling the contents of said generator, control means including a pairof control members, means for locking said members together, meansresponsive to varying conditions within the evaporator, means tentrolledby said responsive means to move said members simultaneously whereby theheating means is rendered operative and to I move one of said membersinto position to be locked to the other member after unlocking, andmeans responsive to varying conditions within the generator 'to unlocksaid members whereby one of said members may be moved to render theheating means inoperative.-

4. A refrigeratingapparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant, anevaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents of thegenerator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, control meansincluding a pair of control members, means for locking said memberstogether, means respon ive to varying conditions wlthin theQVtlpOl'fll'Ol to move said members simultaneously whereby. the heatingmeans 15 rendered operative, means responsive to varying conditionswithin the generator to unlock one of said members from the otherwhereby one of said members may be moved to render the heating meansinoperative, and means controlled by said responsive means forperiodically cooling the contents of the generator.

A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-for a refrigerant, anevaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents of thegenerator, means for cooling the contents of said generator, controlmeans including a pair of control members, means for locking saidmembers together, means responsive to varying conditions within theevaporator to move said members simultaneously whereby the heating meansis rendered operative, means responsive to-varying conditions within thegenerator to un lock one of said members from the other whereby one ofsaid members may be moved to render the heating means inoperative, andmeans periodically functioning to condense evaporated refrigerant andcontrolled by the first and second named responsive means.

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heatingthe contents ofthe generator, control means including a pair otcontrol members, meansfor locking said members together, means responsive to varyingconditions within'the evaporator to gnove said members simultaneouslywhereby} the heating means isrendered operative, means responsive tovarying conditions within, the generator to unlock one of said membersfrom the other whereby one of saielfinembers may be moved to render theheating means inoperative, cooling means for the contents of saidgenerator, cooling means for condensing evaporated refrigers ant, andoperable means for directing a cooling medium to one or the other ofsaid cooling means and depending for its operation on the one hand uponthe operation of one of said responsive means and on the other hand uponthe operation of the other of said responsive means.

7. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, controlmeans including apair of control members, means for locking saidmei'nbers together, means responsive to varying'conditions within theevaporator, means controlled by said responsive means to move saidmembers simultaneously whereby the heating means is rendered operativeand tomove one of said members into position to be locked to the othermember after unlocking, means responsive to varying conditions withinthe generator to unlock said members whereby one of said members may bemoved to render the heat-ing means inoperative, and means controlled bythe first and second named responsive means for periodically cooling thecontents of the generator.

8. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for cooling the contents of said generator, controlmeans including a pair of control members, means for locking saidmembers together, means responsive to varyingconditions within theevaporator, means controlled by said responsive means to move saidmembers simultaneously whereby the heating means is rendered operativeand to move one of said members into position to be locked to the othermember after unlocking, means responsive to varying conditions withinthe generator to unlock said members whereby one of said members may bemoved to render the heating means inoperative, and means periodicallyfunctioning to condense evaporated refrigerant andcontrolled by saidreoperative and to move one of said members into position to be lockedto the other member after unlocking, means responsive to varyingconditions within the generator to unlock said members whereby one ofsaid members may be moved to render the heating means inoperative,cooling means for the contents of said generator, cooling means forcondensing evaporated refrigerant,-and operable means for directing acooling medium to one or the other of said cooling means and dependingfor its operation on the one hand upon the operation of one of saidresponsive means and on the other hand upon the operation of the otherof said responsive means. v

10. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means forcooling the contents of said generator, con: trol means including a pairof oscillatory control members, means carried by one of said members forlocking said members to,- gether, means responsive to varying conditionswithin the evaporator to move said members simultaneously when lockedtogether whereby the heating means is rendered operative, meansresponsive to varying conditions within the generator and cooperatingwith the locking means to unlock one of said members from the otherwhereby one of said members may be moved to render the heating meansinoperative.

11. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means forcooling the contents of said generator, control means including a pairof control members, means for locking said members together, meansrcsponsive to varying conditions within the; evaporator to, move saidmembers simultaneously, and yieldable means placed under tension, duringsimulta neous movement of said control members and adapted to'cooperatewith one of Sam members to move it when unlocked from the other of saidmembers whereby the heating means is rendered inoperative.

12. 'A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, means forcooling the contents of said generator, control means for the heatingmeans including a pair of movable control members, means i for lockingsaid members together, means responsive to varying conditions within theevaporator to more said members slmultaneously whereby the heating meansis rendered operative, unlocking ,means adapted to cooperate with thelocking means, and means responsive to varying conditions within thegenerator and cooperating with said unlocking means to unlock one ofsaid .members from the other whereby one of said members may be moved torender the heatmg means lnoperative.

13. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means 5 for condensing evaporated refrigerant, "means forcooling the contents of said generator, control means for the heatingmeans including a pair of movable control members, means. for lockingsaid members together, means responsive to varying conditions within theeva orator to move said members simultaneous y whereby the heating meansis rendered operative, un ocking means adapted tocooperate with thelocking means, means responsive to varying conditions within thegenerator and cooperating with said unlocking means to unlock one ofsaidmembers from the other whereby one of said members may be moved'torender the heating means inoperative, and means cooperating with saidcontrol members during their simultaneous movement for storing up energyand coopcrating with said. one of said members to move it when unlockedfrom the other of said members whereby the heating means is renderedinoperative, h

14. A refrigerator comprising a generator for a refrigerant, anevaporator, a pcriodioally operated electrical heating element forheating the contents of the gener ator, means for condensing evaporatedre- 7 fri erant, means for cooling the contents of sai enerator, controlmeans for closing the circuit through said heater and including apair ofcontacts one of which is adapted to v e moved into engagement with theother and a pair of oscillatory control members, f

ously when locked together-whereby one a; 186' said contacts is movedinto engagement with the other contact, means responsive to varyingconditions'within the generator and cooperating with the locking meansto unlock one of said members from the other whereby one of said membersmay be moved and one of said contacts may be moved out of engagementwith the other contact.

15. A refrigerator comprising a generator for a refrigerant, anevaporator, a periodically operated electrical heating element forheating the contents of the generator, means for condensing evaporatedrefrigerant, means for cooling the contents of said generator, controlmeans for closing the circuit through said heater and including a pairof contacts one of which is adapted to be moved into engagement with theother and a pair of oscillatory control members, means carried by one 0said members for locking said members together, means responsive tovarying conditions within the evaporator to move said memberssimultaneously when locked together whereby one of said contacts ismoved into engagement with the other contact, means responsive toVarying conditions within the generator and cooperating with the lockingmeans to unlock one of said members from the other whereby one of saidmembers may be moved and one of said contacts may be moved out ofengagement with the other contact, and yieldable means placed undertension during simultaneous movement of said control members and adaptedto cooperate with one of said members to move it when unlocked from theother of said members.

16. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, means for condensing evaporated refrigerant, controlmeans for the heatin means including a air of movable contro members,means for ocking said members together, means responsive to varyingconditions within the evaporator to move said members simultaneouslywhereby the heating means is rendered operative, unlocking means adaptedto cooperate with the locking means, means responsive to varyingconditions within the generator and cooperating with said unlockingmeans to unlock one of said members from the other whereby one of saidmembers may be moved to render the heating means inoperative, and meansfor periodically cool- .ing the contents of the generator and dependingfor its operation upon the operation of the first and second namedresponsive means.

17 A refrigerating apparatus comprising a. generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means. for heating the contents ofthe generat0r, means for cooling the contents of said generator, controlmeans riodically functioning to condense evaporated refrigerant anddepending for its operation upon the operation of.the first and secondnamed responsive means. i

18. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator for a refrigerant,an evaporator, periodically operated means for heating the contents ofthe generator, control means-for the heating means including a pair ofmovable control members, means for locking said members together, meansresponsive to varying conditions within the evaporator to move saidmembers simultaneously whereby the heating means is rendered. operative,unlocking means adapted to cooperate with the locking means, meansresponsive to varying conditions within the generator and cooperatingwith said unlocking means to unlock one of said members from the otherwhereby one of said members may be moved torender the heating meansinoperative, cooling means for the contents of said generator, coolingmeans for condensing evaporated refrigerant, and operable means fordirect,- ing a cooling medium to one or the other of said cooling meansand depending forits operation on the one hand upon the operation of oneof said responsive means and on the other hand upon the operation of'theother of said responsive means. 7

19. A refrigerator comprising a generator for a refrigerant, anevaporator, a periodically operated electrical heating element forheating the contents of the generator, control means for olosin thecircuit through said heater and inclu ing a pair of contacts oneof whichis adapted to be moved into engagement with the other and a pair ofoscillatory control members, means carried i by one of said members forlocking said memberstogether, means responsive to varying conditionswithin the evaporator to move said members simultaneously when lockedtogether whereby one of said con- .tacts. is moved into engagementwith-the other contact, means responsive to varying conditions withinthe generator and cooperating with the locking means to unlock one ofsaid members from the other whereby one of said members .maybe moved andone of said contacts may be moved out of engage,- ment with the othercontact, cooling-means means for condensing for the contents of saidgenerator, cooling the evaporated re frigerant, and operab e means fordirecting a cooling medium to one or the other of said'cooling meansand-depending for its operation on the one hand upon the operation ofone of said responsive means and on the other hand upon theoperation ofthe other of said responsive means.

20. A refrigerator comprising a generator for a refrigerant, anevaporator, a periodically operated electrical heating element forheating the contents of the generator, control means forclosing thecircuit through said heater and including a pair of contacts one ofwhich is adapted to be moved into engagen'ient with the other and a pairof oscillatory control members, means carried by one of said members forlocking said members together, means responsive to varying conditionsWithin the evaporator to move said members simultaneously when lockedtogether whereby one of said contacts is 7 moved intov engagement withthe other conmembers from the other whereby one of said members may bemoved and one of said contacts may be movedout of engagement with theother contact, yieldable means placed under tension during simultaneousmovement of said control members and adapted to cooperate with one ofsaid members to move it when unlocked from the other of said members,cooling means for the contents of said generator, cooling means forc0ndensing the evaporated refrigerant, and operable means for directinga cooling medium to one or the other of said cooling means and dependingfor its operation on the one hand upon the operation of one of saidresponsive means the operation of the other'of said means.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

ARCHIE HUGH STRONG.

responsive and on the other hand upon 7

